YGOD: That is wonderful! I long to have that fear. I wanna be scared too

just my little soap box rant...the mind started and I couldn't stop it. Kind of like the random nonsense I think about when scooping yards.

It's amazing at how often that happens... someone knew somebody that once lifted a truck over their head to save a cat...I know this for a fact it was my cousins uncle on his moms side by marriage and the neighbor kid told my sister about it.

 The used to call this type of stuff the telephone game. A person probably said..I would love to have XX amount of customers each year. What they heard was Tommy gained 165 new customers last year just from honking his horn outside of the Dog Parks. It's just that easy.

Noted...

Maybe I should gen up some coffee mugs with our logo on it...put it on the patio table "steaming" just in case I wake them up..

Idea...How about if you serviced 7 properties but each one had 3 dogs. Answer: We service properties for 21 different pups, or something along those lines?? Just an idea

It may not be an ideal time but it's gotta be done. I will just reverse the routes and maybe push back an hour or two. This way most people would be up by then and coffee will be flowing....

Last time I went fishing I landed 13 wide mouth all 9lbs each...on the same hook, same cast, same time. Don't believe that you say...it was off my back porch of my ocean front property in Tenn. They are being mounted right now  and should be back any year now. The guy works a lot... but they are coming 

They are all of great worth. If my time slot bothers them then I guess I have to adjust. I understand I am here because they need me and I need them. I guess it just gives me a reason to sleep in a bit longer and catch them after they have the first cup-a-joe. I imagine everyone else feels the same way but they don't say anything. After all I am in the back yard and around here the master bedroom is usually located at the back of the house.

Hmmmmm......sleep is over rated anyway

We all know we keep our routes as tight as we can in order to cut travel, traffic, and time. Some of us still have full time gig's until the business starts making millions...

My question is this: What do you do when a customer says you come over to their property too early in the morning? Granted I was working the evening shifts trying to get them all done during the week and it's just not possible, especially with early sun sets. Now I service 2 days during the week and the rest on Saturday. I start pretty early but this particular customer is concerned that 8:00 am is too early to be at her house because her dogs can hear me in the yard.

I am in and out in 10 min. How do I handle her request to move her to later in the day. I start at 7 and finish by 1. Am I being stubborn? Is her request a logical one? Or does she get a special time slot at no additional fee? Or better yet do I charge her extra to adjust her schedule to her needs as I will have to double back from the other side of town in order to service her property at the end of my routes? Just curious....

Thank you and good luck on your future endeavors!

My over all return has been greater than 12 customers. We just signed another one as well. So we are up to 13. We have had a total of 19 in the last year. Some have signed up and realized they couldn't afford the extra services in their life and one signed up with no intention of ever paying us. You win some, you lose some. As it stands right now we are running a solid 13 and continue to grow. Based on your quarter at your most active you would have been projected at 21 for the 1st year. It seems we are running close to the same numbers you would have had. I would love to have 50 new customers a year and a fleet of vehicles but the reality of the matter is that just doesn't seem possible unless you have an endless supply of advertising money. Our first year was a trial period to see if there would be any real interest in our services. We had enough support that we are now amping up and hitting the streets. Ad's are expensive so good old fashioned hand shakes will have to suffice for now.

Craigslist still proves to be strong for us...

Jeff, I appreciate the call the other day and I will give you a call to pow wow further. Time is tight but I will get back to your before all your snow melts.....

I like it! Thanks for the idea.

I buy local for my Shirts. However my local printers where insane on prices. I found it cheaper to do it myself with the print set up I already had. I tried to use my local guys for my back window perforated film...However, they were highly priced too. I was able to get my back window perf for 35.00 shipped in 2 days and put it on myself. This saved me about $200. I really like to support local as often as possible but my local guys are not making it easy. I am having the same problem with trying to re-design my website. All the local guys want tons of money. I hate outsourcing but India seems to beat all of my local guys in every aspect. I am conflicted....

I run and 05 Sentra 4dr. Trunk space is plenty for what I service now. Sometimes the smell sneaks up on me and the air will have to be turned off.....Oh the hot Southern Summers don't help either....